Gut Health & Detoxification Quiz

Based on your results, it looks like toxins have taken a toll on your body and vitality. The good news is that you were born with a very robust natural detoxification system, and you still have it. If you take a few steps to bolster your natural detoxification system, your overall health will benefit in profound ways and many or even all of your current complaints will improve.

Our bodies detox continuously as a natural function. It’s only when our detox mechanisms become overloaded that the process becomes less efficient and symptoms may occur. Toxins may be internal or external in origin. Pollution or pesticides in our food sources put undue stress on our detox organs, the kidneys and liver. Improper digestion and imbalanced gut ecology provide internal forms of toxins in the way of metabolic by-products stemming from certain bacteria which have toxic side effects and therefore impact negatively on overall health by compromising detox pathways.

Reviving your natural detox system is a two-part process: lighten the load and nourish. Lightening the load means you want to reduce your body’s toxic burden in every way you can. Because it is impossible to eliminate all toxins, you want to do get rid of the obvious ones that you can avoid.

Ways to lighten the load include:

• Reducing processed food consumption
• Avoiding GMOs (controversial, but GMOs likely have a toxic effect on hormone balance)
• Avoid non-organic food (pesticides)
• Factory farmed meats (antibiotics and hormones)
• Cosmetics, shampoos and lotions containing toxic ingredients
• Minimal or no alcohol (even the recommendation of 1 drink a day for women or 2 for men is likely too much and is now in question)
• Tobacco and recreational drugs
• Unnecessary pharmaceuticals

Part 2 is nourishment. This means choosing foods and making lifestyle choices that have detoxification qualities as well as provide nourishment for the detoxification system you’ve had since birth.

Dietary nourishment includes:

Choose foods that contain sulphur (helps the liver with detoxification) and glutathione (a powerful antioxidant). These include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale and others).
Additional nutritional support for detoxification includes garlic, fermented foods, walnuts and beets.
Increase consumption of citrus; a glass of water with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon is a great way to start the day.
High-quality detoxification program that is easy on the body and nourishes the liver, kidneys and natural detoxification system (avoid heavy duty cleanses).
Lifestyle nourishment includes:

• Avoid weight gain or reduce it if you’re overweight (through food selection and exercise, not by extreme diets or counting calories).
• Exercise every day, even just a little helps a lot. Exercise burns fat, which helps your body function better. There is no proof that exercise has a direct effect on detoxification, but regular (daily) exercise improves every system in the body, including the complex natural detox processes.
• Drink lots of water, but not just water. Extreme cleanses do not show evidence of long-term benefit and may have risks. Healthy foods are far more beneficial than long fasts or harsh cleanses.
• Fast daily. Giving your body 14-16 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day is showing incredible benefits to multiple systems of the body and is associated with hormone balance, improved immune function and healthy weight loss.

Based on your results, it looks like your natural detox system is doing well. You were born with a very robust natural detoxification system, and if your results are any indication, you’ve taken relatively good care of it. Well done!

However, before you go assault your liver with margaritas to celebrate, know that the increasing toxicity of our world is putting ever greater demands on your natural detoxification.

Our bodies detox continuously as a natural function. It’s only when our detox mechanisms become overloaded that the process becomes less efficient and symptoms may occur. Toxins may be internal or external in origin. Pollution or pesticides in our food sources put undue stress on our detox organs, the kidneys and liver. Improper digestion and imbalanced gut ecology provide internal forms of toxins in the way of metabolic by-products stemming from certain bacteria which have toxic side effects and therefore impact negatively on overall health by compromising detox pathways.

Making some changes to your lifestyle to bolster your detox system would ensure your likely-robust system stays that way for long into the future.

Your natural detox system is a two-part process: lighten the load and nourish. Lightening the load means you want to reduce your body’s toxic burden in every way you can. Because it is impossible to eliminate all toxins, you want to do get rid of the obvious ones that you can avoid.

Ways to lighten the load include:

• Reducing processed food consumption
• Avoiding GMOs (controversial, but GMOs likely have a toxic effect on hormone balance)
• Avoid non-organic food (pesticides)
• Factory farmed meats (antibiotics and hormones)
• Cosmetics, shampoos and lotions containing toxic ingredients
• Minimal or no alcohol (even the recommendation of 1 drink a day for women or 2 for men is likely too much and is now in question)
• Tobacco and recreational drugs
• Unnecessary pharmaceuticals

Part 2 is nourishment. This means choosing foods and making lifestyle choices that have detoxification qualities as well as providing nourishment for the detoxification system you’ve had since birth.

Dietary nourishment includes:

• Choose foods that contain sulphur (helps the liver with detoxification) and glutathione (a powerful antioxidant). Powerful detox foods include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale and others).
• Additional nutritional support for detoxification includes garlic, fermented foods, walnuts and beets.
• Increase consumption of citrus; a glass of water with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon is a great way to start the day.
• High-quality detoxification program that is easy on the body and nourishes the liver, kidneys and natural detoxification system (avoid heavy duty cleanses).
  

Lifestyle nourishment includes:

• Avoid weight gain or reduce it if you’re overweight (through food selection and exercise, not by extreme diets or counting calories).
• Exercise every day, even just a little helps a lot. Exercise burns fat, which helps your body function better. There is no proof that exercise has a direct effect on detoxification, but regular (daily) exercise improves every system in the body, including the complex natural detox processes.
• Drink lots of water, but not just water. Extreme cleanses do not show evidence of long-term benefit and may have risks. Healthy foods are far more beneficial than long fasts or harsh cleanses.
• Fast daily. Giving your body 14-16 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day is showing incredible benefits to multiple systems of the body and is associated with hormone balance, improved immune function and healthy weight loss.